Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad
This roasted carrot and beet salad looks great, tastes delicious, and it’s super nutritious!
Beets are such an underrated vegetable. Roasted beets and carrots are tender, sweet, mildly earthy, and totally delicious. Plus, they’re so good for you!
This roasted beet and carrot salad is gorgeous. But what good are looks without taste? I promise this salad looks and tastes amazing. I even won over some bona fide beet haters when testing this recipe. They loved it!
Try making this hearty salad in autumn or winter when root vegetables and citrus are in abundance. I know you’ll love its complex yet complementary flavors.
Ingredients & Nutrition Highlights
A serving of this colorful salad has about 6 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein. It’s a good source of vitamins, including K, C, A, and B vitamins. It’s also rich in antioxidants and happens to be gluten-free.
- A bed of fresh, peppery baby arugula forms the base of this salad and complements the beets and carrots.
- Tender, roasted beets and carrots have a sweet and earthy flavor. Look for ones that are firm and vibrantly colored.
- Use avocado oil, thyme, salt, and pepper to season and roast the veggies.
- Juice and zest from a fresh orange add a fresh, citrusy burst of flavor. You can use whatever variety of orange is in season. If you use something small like a mandarin, use 2.
- Crumbled chevre goat cheese adds a creamy and tangy element to the salad.
- A sprinkle of toasted walnuts adds crunch.
- Extra virgin olive oil dresses the salad.
- A drizzle of hot honey and a sprinkle of pepper flakes add an irresistible sweet and spicy layer. If you’re sensitive to spicy heat, you can omit the pepper flakes and use regular honey.
How to Make it
First, toast the walnuts in a heavy bottomed skilled (not pictured) until they become fragrant and shiny. It will take 2-3 minutes.
Then, preheat the oven to 400℉.
Time to prep the beets and carrots. Wash them and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Then, cut off the root ends.
Quarter the beets, then cut each quarter into 1/4 inch slices.
Slice the carrots into 1/4 inch rounds. Then, toss the veggies in the avocado oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread them into a single layer on a sheet pan.
Roast them at 400℉ for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Then, add the orange zest.
Pour the orange juice over them. Then, stir to combine.
Arrange the arugula on a large platter. Then, top with the roasted carrots and beets. Sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts.
Drizzle with olive oil and hot honey. Then, lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Serve and enjoy!
Serving Tips
When to Serve it
This vibrant salad is perfect for dinner or a special lunch during the colder months when root veggies are plentiful. It can be served as a main course or as a starter.
Beverage Pairing
Try serving it with a glass of crisp white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, or a light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir.
Complete the Meal
Serve it with chicken or pork to add protein. I love serving it with pan-seared or grilled chicken breast.
Try pairing it with a hearty winter soup. It goes well with my kale, potato, and sausage soup, or my creamy vegetable soup, and some crusty bread.
More Tasty Salad Recipes
Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad
This roasted carrot and beet salad is delicious and nutritious!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 side salads or 2 dinner salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets (3 large beets)
- 1/2 pound carrots (2 large carrots)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme*
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- Juice and zest from 1 fresh orange*
- 5-ounce container of baby arugula
- 4 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
- 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons hot honey (or regular honey)
- Flaky sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- Crushed pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
- Toast the walnuts in the dry skillet, stirring frequently. It will take 2-3 minutes. They will become fragrant and start to get shiny. Remove them from the pan and set them aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Wash the beets and carrots. Cut off their root ends, then use a vegetable peeler to peel them.
- Cut the beets into quarters, then slice them about ¼ inch thick.
- Slice the carrots into rounds, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Toss the beets and carrots in the avocado oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Then, spread them into a single layer on a heavy-duty baking sheet and roast at 400℉ for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Add orange zest and juice to the roasted vegetables. Then, stir to combine.
- Arrange the arugula on a platter. Top with the roasted beets and carrots. Sprinkle the goat cheese and walnuts evenly over the salad.
- Then drizzle with olive oil and hot honey.
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Add crushed pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
*Use 1 large orange, like a naval orange, or 2 small oranges, like mandarin oranges.
*Or several sprigs of fresh thyme.
See the full recipe post for photos of the cut vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 432
- Sugar: 26.3 g
- Sodium: 559.4 mg
- Fat: 30.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.1 g
- Fiber: 6.5 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 13.1 mg
